52 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



presence by tlie cover side or with the joyous 

 hounds. 



It is possible for horses, under ahnost any cir- 

 cumstances of action, to go to a certain extent, if 

 not well with, still in the wake of hounds when 

 running ; but a vast difference exists in their way 

 of accomplishing this, not always understood 

 by all men clothed in red, and as varied as the 

 colour of the skins in which 'the horses were 

 foaled. 



The really clever and first-class hunter flies 

 smoothly beneath his rider, as if his joints were 

 fed witli oil ; he stretches in his sj^lendid stride 

 as if he felt no cumbrous weight upon his back, 

 and had, at the same time, not only each leg at 

 his command, but his brains and both his eyes, 

 timing himself so as safely to span everj^ gi'ip? 

 drain, or deep furrow that succeeded suddenly on 

 each other, and then, with a few strides of lessened 

 velocity, bringing his fore feet dose up to tlie fence, 

 if hedge, ditch, or brook, so as to lose nothing 

 of his innate purpose and power to compass it if 

 largely evident, or whatever may be the propor- 

 tions of the disguised or blind part of it on the 

 contrary side. Whether the fence at first si^rht, 



